The state's Medicaid program previously blocked coverage for sex reassignment surgery, but in October, a legislative rules committee gave the Department of Health and Human Services permission to take out the language. At that time, the department said it there were about 100 Medicaid recipients with a diagnosis of gender identity disorder in the last five years but it did not know how many had pursued surgery.

The House Health and Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee is holding public hearings on the bills Tuesday.